The invention is generally directed to a method and apparatus for the attachment of a drinking straw wrapped in a protective covering to a beverage container and in particular to the batch attachment of a plurality of drinking straws wrapped in protective coverings and formed in a roll to a plurality of beverage containers. Wrapped drinking straws are arranged in parallel with respect to each other and each straw is oriented perpendicular to the length of the roll. The roll is provided with an adhesive surface along the lengthwise extension thereof.
It is known to provide drinking straws with a protective covering in the form of a tape where the drinking straws are parallel to and substantially equidistant from each other, and perpendicular to the length of the tape. One known process separates a single drinking straw and its protective covering, hereinafter referred to as a straw package, from the straw package tape and sticks one straw at a time onto a prepared sticking spot on the side of a beverage container.
An apparatus and method for affixing a straw package onto a beverage container one straw at a time is disclosed in DE-OS No. 29 02 899. A dispenser reel holds a tape with straw packages. One straw package at a time is separated from the tape and affixed to the side of a beverage container that is transported by a mechanism that is separate from the mechanism transporting the straw package.
In the known apparatus the straw package tape is fed over a feeding roll having longitudinal grooves, parallel to the spindle of the roll and recessed within the roll's jacket. The longitudinal grooves are adapted to receive the drinking straws within the straw packages and easily feed the tape around the feed roll. The feed roll is partially covered along the feed path by a lead which extends in an arc around the roll's jacket. In the area of the lead a knife, which is intermittently operated, is applied to the tape to sever individual straw packages from the tape. In the lead-out area of the jacket, utilizing a synchronously intermittent press, one straw package at a time is pressed onto the side of a beverage container, which container is moved to the application spot by a conveyor at the appropriate time.
The straw package is pressed precisely on a spot of adhesive located on the side of the beverage container which adhesive has been applied at a previous processing stage. Because the tape has no adhesive on its surface the straw package must contact the prepared spot of adhesive to assure affixation. This requires very accurate placement of the straw package which slows down the speed of the apparatus process.
The industrial racking off and packing of beverage containers has as an important goal the processing of the largest possible number of beverage containers per unit time. The working rate of the known processes and apparatus is limited by the number of strokes per unit time achievable by the knife used to detach the straw packages from the tape and the press used to press the detached drinking straws onto the prepared spot of adhesive on the wall of the beverage container. To operate the known machinery at a higher rate adds additional stresses and tensions to the equipment causing more frequent breakdowns and a lower resultant yield. Also at higher speeds, the mass forces on the moving parts of the machinery increase greatly, leading to more frequent failures and expensive replacement and curative maintenance. Accordingly, there is a need for a process and the apparatus to implement the process which increases the rate of straw packages affixed to beverage containers without unduly stressing the system.